This document provides recommendations for developing effective learning outcomes. Learning outcomes should be specific, measurable, attainable, aligned with the curriculum, stated in active verbs and the future tense, focused on program-level skills rather than individual courses, and describe student demonstrations rather than instructional processes. An effective set of learning outcomes clearly communicates the essential knowledge and skills students will possess upon completing a program of study.

1. Evaluate the outcomes of your
learning

2.  Allow a correction of each of the questions and quick elements.
 They favor that the students have a good capacity to study concrete facts
Learning outcomes are statements of the knowledge, skills and abilities individual students should
possess and can demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience or sequence of learning
experiences. Before preparing a list of learning outcomes consider the following recommendations:

3. Learning outcomes should be specific and
well defined
 When developing a list of student learning outcomes, it is important that statements be specific
and well defined. Outcomes should explain in clear and concise terms the specific skills students
should be able to demonstrate, produce, and know as a result of the program’s curriculum. They
should also exclude the greatest number of possible alternatives so that they can be measured.

4. Learning outcomes should be realistic.
 It is important to make sure that outcomes are attainable. Outcomes need to be reviewed in light
of students’ ability, developmental levels, their initial skill sets, and the time available to attain
these skill sets ( i. e, 4 years). They should also be in line with what is being taught.

5. Learning outcomes should rely on active
verbs in the future tense.
 It is important that outcomes be stated in the future tense in terms of what students should be
able to do as a result of instruction.
For example, the learning outcome “Students have demonstrated proficiency in…” is stated in
terms of students’ actual performance instead of what they will be able to accomplish upon
completion of the program. Learning outcomes should also be active and observable so that
they can be measured.

6. Learning outcomes should be framed in
terms of the program instead of specific
classes that the program offers.
 Learning outcomes should address program goals and not specific course goals since
assessment at the University is program-focused.
For example, the learning outcome “Students completing Chemistry 101 should be able to…” is
focused at the course level. It does not describe what a graduating senior in Chemistry should be
able to demonstrate as a result of the program.

7. Learning outcomes should align with the
program’s curriculum.
 The outcomes developed in your plan need to be consistent with the curriculum goals of the
program in which they are taught. This is critical in the interpretation of your assessment results in
terms of where changes in instruction should be made. Using curriculum mapping is one way to
ensure that learning outcomes align with the curriculum. A curriculum map is a matrix in which
learning outcomes are plotted against specific program courses. Learning outcomes are listed in
the rows and courses in the columns.

8. Learning outcomes should be simple and not
compound.
 The outcomes stated in your plan should be clear and simple. Avoid the use of bundled or
compound statements that join the elements of two or more outcomes into one statement.
For example, the outcome “Students completing the BS in mathematics should be able to
analyze and interpret data to produce meaningful conclusions and recommendations and explain
statistics in writing” is a bundled statement.

9. Learning outcomes should focus on learning
products and not the learning process.
 Learning outcomes should be stated in terms of expected student performance and not on what
faculty intend to do during instruction. The focus should be on the students and what they
should be able to demonstrate or produce upon completion of the program.
For example, the learning outcome “Introduces mathematical applications” is not appropriate
because its focus is on instruction (the process) and not on the results of instruction (the product).